Daily Fantasy Lineups: Start/Sit Calls, PP1 Auditions and Goalie Leans
Today’s projected NHL lineups and starting goalies give fantasy managers several leverage points: returning stars, an intriguing debut, and a major injury in the crease. With tight matchups on the schedule, you’ll want to squeeze value from power-play roles and avoid landmines in net. Let’s break down how to handle Bo Horvat’s return, Jordan Kyrou’s re-entry, Xavier Bourgault’s debut, and the shifting goaltending landscape around Andrei Vasilevskiy and the injured Ilya Sorokin.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The biggest forward news is Bo Horvat getting back into the New York Islanders’ top six after missing time. When he’s in, the Islanders’ entire scoring hierarchy stabilizes: he’s a primary finisher and bumper option on the top power play, and his presence usually boosts the wingers around him. If you’ve been forced to sit him or stash him in IR, today is the green light to get him back into lineups.
The flip side on Long Island is the loss of Ilya Sorokin, who’s on injured reserve. That removes a high-end fantasy starter from the pool and leaves the Islanders’ crease in far shakier hands. Any backup replacement is unlikely to replicate Sorokin’s workload or reliability, which changes how you view Islanders games for streaming skaters and opposing goalies.
In Tampa, Andrei Vasilevskiy is confirmed to start. Whenever he’s locked in as the No. 1 for the Tampa Bay Lightning, he’s an automatic consideration in all formats. The matchup note here is important: confirmed status means you don’t have to gamble on late news, and you can confidently build your goalie plan around him.
The St. Louis Blues get a scoring jolt with Jordan Kyrou returning from injury. He’s a top-six winger with strong offensive instincts and typically a fixture on the top power-play unit. His return reshuffles the Blues’ PP1, potentially pushing fringe options back to PP2 or off the unit entirely, and gives you a high-upside scoring option if you’ve been waiting to activate him.
Finally, the Ottawa Senators are giving Xavier Bourgault his NHL debut. Debut forwards are often sheltered at even strength, but they can sneak onto the second power-play unit or get offensive-zone starts. In deeper and dynasty formats, this is where you get ahead of the curve if he shows early chemistry or earns quick trust from the coaching staff.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In pure scoring formats, Horvat’s return is one of the clearest start decisions of the day. As a top-six pivot with heavy offensive usage, he’s back to being a must-start whenever the Islanders have a reasonable matchup. The key angle: his power-play involvement. If he’s immediately back on PP1, you’re chasing both goals and primary assists from the bumper and net-front areas.
Kyrou is another points-only priority. St. Louis relies on him to drive offense off the rush and on the man advantage. Even if he’s a bit rusty in his first game back, the combination of top-six minutes and prime PP usage gives him a ceiling that you don’t want on your bench. Treat him as a start unless your roster is stacked with elite options.
Bourgault is more of a speculative play in points-only. For today, he’s more watchlist than auto-start in standard leagues. What you’re looking for is deployment: does he get top-nine minutes and any power-play time? If he’s stapled to a scoring center or sees PP2 usage, he becomes a viable short-term stream in deeper formats.
On the goaltending side, Vasilevskiy is a slam-dunk start in points-only and wins-focused leagues. Confirmed status plus his track record means you’re chasing the win and quality start, even if the matchup isn’t ideal on paper. With Sorokin out, you should not be forcing any Islanders replacement into your lineup unless you’re desperate; the risk of a blowup outing outweighs the upside in most points-only setups.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-cat leagues, Horvat’s value extends beyond goals and assists. He can contribute shots and faceoff wins in formats that count them, and his heavy usage on the power play boosts power-play points potential. Coming off injury, monitor his shot volume early; if he’s firing the puck and not just facilitating, he’s back to being a strong all-around category contributor.
Kyrou’s biggest categorical strengths are shots, goals, and power-play production. He won’t help much in hits or PIM, but his offensive categories can swing weekly matchups. If your team is lagging in goals or PPP, getting him back in today is a priority. Just temper expectations in peripherals like hits and blocks.
Bourgault is unlikely to be a banger-league asset immediately. Debut forwards typically don’t rack up hits or blocks, and their shot volume can be modest until they settle in. For today, he’s more of a speculative scoring add than a multi-cat monster. Track his usage over the next few games before relying on him in banger formats.
For goalies, Vasilevskiy’s value in save percentage and wins is obvious, but he can also help in volume categories if he faces a lot of shots. With Sorokin out, the Islanders’ replacements are likely to be volatile in ratios. Unless your league heavily rewards saves and you’re chasing volume, it’s safer to avoid that crease today to protect your GAA and save percentage.
Dynasty / Keeper
In dynasty, Bourgault is the most interesting name on the board. An NHL debut is a key signal that the organization sees him as ready to test at the top level. You don’t need him to explode on day one; what matters is whether he earns trust, sticks in the lineup, and gradually climbs the depth chart. In deeper keeper and dynasty formats, adding him now before a potential breakout is a smart, low-cost move.
Horvat and Kyrou are more established dynasty pieces. Horvat’s return simply restores his long-term trajectory as a reliable top-six center with strong power-play usage. Kyrou’s re-entry reinforces his status as a core offensive building block for the Blues; as long as he’s healthy and in that role, he remains a cornerstone in dynasty builds.
For goalies, Sorokin’s IR stint is frustrating but not a reason to panic in dynasty. High-end goalies often go through injury patches; the key is not to sell low. If anything, this can open a small buy window via your league’s NHL Trade Analyzer if a frustrated manager is overreacting. Vasilevskiy remains a long-term anchor; today’s confirmed start is just another reminder of his workhorse profile.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Bo Horvat – Add/Start (all leagues): Back from injury and returning to a top-six, PP1 role for the Islanders, he should be in every active lineup.
- Jordan Kyrou – Start (all leagues): Rejoining the Blues’ top six and power play, he’s a high-upside scoring option you don’t want on your bench.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy – Start (all leagues): Confirmed starter for the Lightning, offering elite win and ratio potential whenever he’s in the crease.
- Xavier Bourgault – Watchlist/Add (deep & dynasty): Making his NHL debut for the Senators; monitor his deployment for early signs of PP usage and top-nine minutes.
- Ilya Sorokin – Hold/Avoid (all leagues): On IR and unavailable; stash if you can, but do not start any Islanders goalie replacement unless you’re desperate.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Get Bo Horvat back into your active lineup today; his return stabilizes the Islanders’ top six and power play.
- Lock in Andrei Vasilevskiy wherever you have him, as his confirmed start gives you a reliable anchor in goal.
- Treat Xavier Bourgault as a speculative add in dynasty and deep formats, focusing on whether he earns power-play time.
- Activate Jordan Kyrou if you need scoring and power-play punch, but don’t expect much in banger categories.
- With Ilya Sorokin on IR, avoid forcing Islanders goalies into your lineup and be ready to stream alternatives.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.